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Methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid elicitation induces ginsenosides accumulation, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant in suspension culture Panax ginseng roots in bioreactors.

Ali MB, Yu KW, Hahn EJ, Paek KY

Research Center for the Development of Advanced Horticultural Technology, Chungbuk National University, Cheong-ju, 361-763, Republic of Korea, alimb@rediffmail.com.

The effects of methyl jasmonate (MJ) and salicylic acid (SA) on changes of the activities of major antioxidant enzymes, superoxide anion accumulation (O(2) (-)), ascorbate, total glutathione (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA) content and ginsenoside accumulation were investigated in ginseng roots (Panax ginseng L.) in 4 l (working volume) air lift bioreactors. Single treatment of 200 muM MJ and SA to P. ginseng roots enhanced ginsenoside accumulation compared to the control and harvested 3, 5, 7 and 9 days after treatment. MJ and SA treatment induced an oxidative stress in P. ginseng roots, as shown by an increase in lipid peroxidation due to rise in O(2) (-) accumulation. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was inhibited in MJ-treated roots, while the activities of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), SOD, guaiacol peroxidase (G-POD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) were induced in SA-treated roots. A strong decrease in the activity of catalase (CAT) was obtained in both MJ- and SA-treated roots. Activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione S transferase (GST) were higher in MJ than SA while the contents of reduced ascorbate (ASC), redox state (ASC/(ASC+DHA)) and TG were higher in SA- than MJ-treated roots while oxidized ascorbate (DHA) decreased in both cases. The result of these analyses suggests that roots are better protected against the O(2) (-) stress, thus mitigating MJ and SA stress. The information obtained in this work is useful for efficient large-scale production of ginsenoside by plant-root cultures.

Published 22 May 2006 in Plant Cell Rep, 25(6): 613-20.
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